Mount Laguna has been an experience. Late in the evening of day two Red Beard, Bhikkhu and I arrived at the Tiny House Block just as the leading edge of this storm started to rush over the mountain. It was cold and dark, but fortunately for us it was not yet wet.
The hostel we had booked earlier was hopping with both helpful hikers and their bizzaro cousins. A movie was playing and there were guests hanging out sipping beers. Regardless, we ate, got our remaining damp gear hanging and hit the hay as soon as possible. Things died down almost exactly at 9:00.
Thursday
I can't seem to help myself. That storm front raged all night long and I woke up around 4:00 am. I wrote up the first two days and then lay in bed wondering what was going on outside the building.
By about 7:00 the wind didn't die down but the snow picked up. I spent the morning stretching and dealing with camp chores, but when the post office opened up I bundled up and made my way there.
Nobody moved and the trail all but disappeared by the end of the day.
Friday
I spent most of this day doing chores and reading weather reports. A few people managed to road-walk out of Laguna in the morning, but my general impression is that they hitched to Julian trading one place to hold up for another.
New folks managed to make it to the hostel late yesterday evening and the lodging businesses here are renting out floor space to hikers.
There was a good conversation around the hostel room in the evening and no one snored too badly.
Honestly, I'm getting a little cabin fever and am very concerned about my budget. The snow should start melting out on Saturday, but I've decided to stay until Sunday morning.
My intention is to target two to three days to Scissors Crossing and then reevaluate. Red Beard has a reservation in Julian and there is free pie and resupply, but the climb out of Scissors is supposed to be gorgeous and may have some desert blooms with all this moisture.
Saturday
Sunshine is here for a while. This morning the bunk house window next to my rack was covered with condensation. The water had run around the edges of glass and after clearing the crud from eyes that blue was all I wanted to look at.
Whammy hit the trail before 7:00 and then sent back beta all day long. The three of us hung out in the bunkhouse most of the day organizing, grazing and getting out into the melting slush and mud when necessary.
I am eager to leave tomorrow morning. Bhikkhu is planning starting out slow and perhaps late. Red Beard and I hope to get rolling by 7:00 and intend on doing about half the distance to Scissors Crossing.
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